One Night
by Jade of Purple
Summary: Xena pays Ares a long over due visit. Secrets are revealed, emotions uncovered and decisions made. One night could change everything.
1. Chapter 1

One Night

By: Jade of Purple

Time period: After 'Old Ares had a farm.'

Disclaimer: I in no way own anything in regards with the television show Xena the warrior princess, and am not making any profits from this what so ever. (I really hate having to write this every time I write a story. It gets annoying after awhile if you know what I mean, but hey if it stops me from getting sued then I minus well.)

Summary: Xena pays Ares a long over due visit. What happens next may change everything between them. Secrets will be revealed, emotions uncovered and decisions made.

Side note: This idea has been on my mind for a week now and so I just wrote it down. If you like it and think that I should continue then let me know by leaving a review.

It was late in the afternoon when Xena arrived. The setting sun covered the old farm in a golden brown light, making the entire place seem both deserted and welcoming at the same time. The songs of the crickets and birds were the only sounds around; While everything sat motionless, seemingly frozen in time.

It was the same as she remembered, expect for there seemed to be no animals around. "Lazy fool probably didn't bother buying more livestock." She mumbled out loud as she dismounted Argo. Xena took a quick glance around and noticed that the roof had been partially repaired, and it seemed like there were more cobwebs than before. Everything was quiet, a little too quiet for her liking. It felt the same as when she had first seen it last. Like no one had lived here for some time.

"Maybe he left" The words tumbled from her lips like tormented souls who had lost all hope. Dread unexpectedly wrapped around her body, as she forgot how to breathe for a moment. 'Stop this; you knew he wouldn't stay here forever.' She yelled in her mind. 'Besides what do you care if he's gone? It would mean you wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.' She reasoned but knew it wasn't true. If in fact he did leave she would probably find herself thinking and worrying about him even more than before. That concern, which she had for him was the reason why she returned. The last time when she said good bye to him, she had no intentions of actually coming back. That was because before she had been so tempted to stay. If it hadn't been for Gabrielle she just might have.

Now here she was, driven to this place by the sleepless nights she sent thinking of him and imagining the worst scenarios of what he could be going through. All of a sudden those scenarios seemed possible. With a start she ran into the house and began searching for any clues as to whether he was here or not.

Inside she was met by partial darkness. The only light in the house was that of the setting sun. After lighting a candle Xena looked around the kitchen before checking the bedrooms. The kitchen was bare expect for pieces of stale bread left on the table and the empty wine skins scattered on the floor. Inside one of the bedrooms she found his gauntlets and leather vest. Relief flooded her senses as Xena released a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. She smiled in spite of herself then headed back outside to put Argo in one of the stables.

This time she took her time walking into the house, once inside she started a fire in the fire place before sitting down at the table. Now she would wait, even though the anxiety that was bubbling within her body screamed for her to leave and not look back. Minute after minute went by and soon darkness had fallen around the farm. Xena continued to wait as she went over in her mind what she would say to him.

Just outside Ares clumsily made his way to the farm. He was slightly swaying from side to side as he walked, in part due to the alcohol, in part due to the pain. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed and forget this day. He had been staring at the ground as he walked towards the old house, right before he reached the stairs he looked up to find light coming from inside. Alarmed he quickly looked around; it was then that he saw Argo in one of the stables.

"Xena" He said her name in a whisper. "I can't believe she came back" Shock was evident in his voice.

He should have been happy beyond words to know that she was here, but the thought of her only brought him pain. It had been months since he last saw her. When she rode away she had taken his heart with her. The day after she left he drowned his sorrow in ale and wine. For weeks he wondered about the day she would return. He had long since given up on ever seeing her again. He spent restless nights just dreaming about her only to wake up and find himself alone in that decrepit house.

Ares stood outside for what felt like hours trying to prepare himself for what was to come. 'You could just turn around and walk away. She'd never know you were here. Then all you'd have to do was wait till she left.' He said to himself, but he knew he would never do that. Just as much as it pained him to think of her, it hurt him even more not to see her.

Almost reluctantly he made his way up the stairs and paused for a moment at the door. Then with a small push he opened it to find her sitting down at the table, looking straight at him.

"Hello Ares"


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello Ares"

He froze for a moment. She was still as beautiful as he remembered. Suddenly the grief and heartache came rushing back. His face darkened as the pain became stronger. Her tired but genuine smile only made it worst, because it sparked a small piece of hope inside him, which he resented her for.

"What are you doing here? Did you get lost or something?" His voice was low and filled with bitterness, as he slightly swaying from where he stood.

His hair was disheveled with bits of dust in it. His face was dirty and his eyes were blood shot. His clothes were even more of a mess, with his shirt torn in a number of places. He looked like he had aged ten years in the course of a few months.

She eyed him suspiciously. "Ares you're drunk." She stated, as her smile became a frown.

"Guess I can't get anything pass you." He said stumbling through the door way, then slamming the door shut behind him. "So what brings the great Xena here today?" His mood seemed solemn and miserable as if his entire world had fallen apart, which in truth it had.

"I just came to see how you were holding up." Her face was now emotionless as she observed him.

"Everything's great, never been better." His voice oozed with sarcasm. He didn't even bother to look at her.

Xena silently watched as the former war god slowly made his way towards the table she was sitting at. With a thump he ungracefully fell into the seat across from her. She noticed him wince as he held onto his left shoulder. It was then that she saw the dried blood stains on his shirt. "Did you get into a fight or something?" She pointed to his arm.

"What do you care? You were the one who left me in this Zeus forsaken nightmare you call a life. There's not a damn thing to do around here. Everyday is always the freaking same."

"So your solution to that is to get drunk and get into a fight?" She questioned as if she were talking to a disobedient child.

"Hey beats sitting around here doing nothing." He chuckled, but Xena could clearly hear the misery in his laugh.

Silence soon filled the room as neither spoke. Minutes passed by before anything else was said.

"So where's blondie?" It was obvious that he didn't care, but just wanted to break the awkward silence.

"Gabrielle's in Potedia visiting her sister and niece." She noticed that Ares still wouldn't look at her.

"Oh." Was his only reply, then the silence returned.

After a few minutes he suddenly asked. "Do you really want to know why I got into a fight?" His face was mostly covered in darkness and she could only see the outline of his profile.

"You already told me, it was because you were bored"

"No, actually I was hoping that someone would do me a favor and end my miserable life" With that he finally looked at her, and what she saw scared her. The former god's once radiant brown eyes were now hollow and dead inside.

Her static facade immediately fell from her face. Just the sight of him like this was killing her inside. His body was bruised, and his spirit shattered. He had seemingly died inside and she couldn't help but feel partially to blame.

"You couldn't kill yourself because that would be the coward's way out, so you went to the tavern hoping that someone would do it for you." The words left her mouth in just above a whisper.

"Exactly" His empty eyes seemed like they could see into her soul. His gaze was so strong that she found herself turning away, trying not to meet his eyes. "Why'd you really come back? Was it to check if I was still alive? Maybe to lessen the guilt I can see on your face. You know what, never mind I don't even care anymore, because I know you'll be gone just as fast as you came. And I'm not in the mood for another one if your damn games."

She instantly looked back at him. "Games? You can't be serious." Her voice became dangerously low. "You were the one always playing games with my friends and I, like we were entertainment only there to amuse you. Ares, you tormented me for years with your mind games and deceptions, so don't you dare act like you're the victim here."

"Yeah that maybe true, but you were doing the same thing, and you still are."

"What are you talking about" She momentarily let confusion be seen on her face before her mask of anger returned.

"Xena you knew how I felt about you and you used that to your advantage. Every time you needed my help in one of your schemes you knew exactly what to say to get old Ares to do whatever you wanted. And when you were done with me you tossed me aside like I meant nothing. You know it's true, if it's not then look me in the eye and tell I'm lying."

Xena sat there in silence seemingly going over in her mind what he had said. Her face suddenly paled as she realized the truth in his words, and saw how her actions had so horribly affected him.

"I didn't realize…" The end of the sentence died on her lips. She knew that he cared about her, but didn't truly believe it until recently. When he was a god it was so easy to just see him as a being with no heart, one who could not hurt like mortals do. However now that he was mortal it was all too apparent to see how wrong she had been.

Ares' gaze was finally broken when he looked away from her. His next words could barely be heard.

"You knew I loved you, yet you still denied it. I sacrificed everything I had for you, but what did you care" His mouth only slightly moved as he spoke, and his eyes were now glued to the floor as if afraid to see her reaction.

"Ares that's not true. What you did for me was something I will never forget." Her voice had softened along with her face. It pained her to see him like this all broken inside, and once again she felt a trace of guilt rise within her.

Slowly she reached across the table to touch his arm. When he felt her skin on his he suddenly flinched and pulled away as if she had burned him. He looked up at her to find her face saddened from his reaction, and he couldn't help but feel angry with himself for making her feel that way.

"Maybe you should leave" It was more of a plea than anything else.

"No, I'm not leaving." Xena tried again to touch his arm, and this time he didn't pull away.

She looked into his eyes and saw that he was fighting a losing battle against his fatigue. Each one of his blinks became longer than the last, and it looked like he was trying desperately just to keep his head up.

"You're tired, you should get some rest" She suggested.

"No I'm fine" Ares replied, but was finding it increasingly difficult to stay awake. It also didn't help him much that the room felt like it was spinning.

"Come on, besides I should take a look at those bruises." She said while standing and pulling him up with her.

Xena walked to his side of the table and placed his arm around her shoulders to give him more balance. Slowly they made their way to Ares' bedroom with neither saying a word the entire time.

Once inside the room Xena gently placed him on the bed. He took off his shirt and boots then lazily threw them on the floor. She checked him for any broken bones and wounds.

"Your bruises are only minor, there's nothing serious to worry about." She stood up as she said this.

He only nodded in response then laid down, and right as she turned to leave he grabbed her arm and pulled her down towards him.

"Promise that you'll be here when I wake up." He whispered in her ear.

She paused a moment before finally answering. "I promise," Xena sat down on the bed beside him and watched as sleep quickly took over his body. After a few minutes when she was sure that he had fallen asleep she let her hand softly run through his hair then down his face finally stopping at his lips. There her fingers lingered for a moment. "If only you knew how much I really care…." She said thinking back to what he had told her. "For …" She continued but found that the last word just wouldn't come out, as if, if said out loud she could not take it back.

With a sleep filled sigh Ares leaned into her hand as a smile appeared on his features. If she hadn't known better she would have sworn that he was still awake. She stared at the smile on his face, mesmerized by how quickly it had transformed him back to the man she knew.

Xena sat there for awhile thinking about what would happen next. She could feel anxiety and panic coursing through her body. It was strange how he could make her feel all these things without even knowing it. She was scared of what would happen if she let her true feels control her. Afraid that this would be a mistake, something she would regret in the morning. Time, she needed time to think, time to clear her head.

She looked out the window to see that morning was slowly approaching. Quietly she stood up and left the room. She hesitantly walked outside to the stables. Xena paused a second before mounting Argo, as if debating with herself whether she should leave or not. She came to a decision as she climbed onto her faithful horse and rode away into the night.

:Leave areview if you liked it. :


	3. Chapter 3

Xena had urged Argo to go faster as they rode away from the old farm, but then after only minutes of riding they suddenly came to a stop.

"I can't do this to him" Xena said to herself as she turned Argo around. She took a deep breath before stepping off of the horse and leading them to a small clearing by the lake.

The moon shined bright in the night sky, which had become a slightly pale violet. And the reflections of the many tiny stars could be seen on the lake's surface. The raven haired warrior made her way to the lakes edge before sitting down beside a tree. She made no move to light a fire. She just sat there and let her thoughts carry her away.

She stayed like that for hours but to her it only felt like minutes passing by. The sky was now a soft purple and blue color signaling the coming sun though is was still slightly dark around her.

A small cracking sound brought her back to reality. However by the time she heard the foot steps approaching, the person was already directly behind her. Xena was about to reach for her sword when she heard his voice.

"You lied" His tone held no anger or hate just relief. Moments ago when he wakened to find her gone, he panicked and dashed out the old house in search of her. He knew that she'd probably be long gone but still he had to try.

Xena stood up and turned around to look at him. He was half naked wearing only his pants and boots. His face and hair seemed some how cleaner, and his chest was heaving up and down as if he had been running.

"I was going to come back before you woke up." She replied trying not to stare at his bare torso.

He took a few steps closer to her until they were less than an arms length away. "What are you running from?" He asked looking straight into her crystal blue eyes.

"I'm not running from anything." She straightened up as her defenses rose.

"Then why'd you leave?" His eyes transformed from the dead and hollow orbs she had seen before, back to the warm rich brown eyes she knew so well.

'I got scared.' She answered in her mind. "I needed some time to think." She said instead. Her voice became calmer as she spoke, and her face softened at the sight of his auburn eyes. He was looking for an explanation, and she owed him at least that.

Xena released a deep sigh before continuing, giving him an answer would be easier said than done. "Ares…I" She started then stopped. She again opened her mouth to speak but the words refused to come out. What could she possible say to explain what drove her to leave? How could she answer his question, when she herself was not sure of the answer?

'Tell him, just tell him damnit.' a small voice inside her screamed. It was now or never.

"After what you told me earlier I started thinking. And I realized that for the first time in a long time I was afraid of what was going to happen next. So I left …but I was going to come back, I just needed--"

"Time," He said finishing her sentence as he took another step closer. "I've waited decades for you and I will wait longer if I have to; but I need to know. Is there any point in me still waiting?"

They were standing barely an inch apart. She could feel his breath on her skin as her heart began to beat faster.

"Yes…there is." Xena replied in just above a whisper.

She unconsciously let her hand slowly glide up his chest causing every vein in Ares' body to burn with desire. Her touch was so soft and gentle that he could no longer control himself. With a faint growl he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body against his, then leaned in to meet her lips in a soft passionate kiss.

At that moment the last of Xena's will power crumbed away. She gave into her desires and responded by deepening the kiss. Her hands slowly went up his arms, taking the time to feel each muscle before entangling them selves in his hair. The kiss intensified with each passing moment, as they began feverishly picking at each other's clothes.

Ares' hands drifted to her amour quickly unclasping it, as she did away with his belt in one swift motion. Next he began undoing her shift, rapidly at first then slowing down right as he began to pull it from her body. He broke away from her lips and looked into her eyes as if asking, if she was sure that she would not regret this later on. He knew it was a gamble to do this but he had to know, had to be certain that he would not wake up to find her gone again.

Xena understood what he was asking and answered by giving his pants a pull and letting them fall to the ground. She raised her eyebrow and cocked her head to the side waiting for his next move. He swiftly drew her into a smoldering slow kiss as he guided her shift down her body. Next their boots soon found themselves scattered on the forest floor beside the rest of their clothes.

Their hands and lips roamed one another's body, both slowly and hastily stroking and caressing every inch. Moans of pleasure poured from their lips, as they gradually drifted to the ground lost in sweet ecstasy.

: I know it took a while for me to update, sorry about that. I had major writer's block, and the recent reviews kind of helped me get out of that. So thankx :


	4. Chapter 4

: I know it took me like a million years to update, I blame school and family. One I chose the other I got stuck with. You can guess which one is which. Anyway here is chapter 4. :

Xena and Ares were covered in beads of sweat as they lie breathless on the ground. He held her close while his hands lightly caressed her arms and back, creating unseen designs on her skin. Her head and arm rested on his chest as she listened to the almost rhythmic beating of his heart.

Just above them the last hints of the night sky began fading away, allowing the sun and clouds to emerge in its absence. The sounds of the forest coming alive could be heard all around. It would soon be time to face reality. Just a moment longer, they silently wished to themselves. Neither willing to give up the small thread of serenity they held in the palm of their hands.

Xena glanced up at Ares to find him looking at her. There was something in his gaze that sent shivers down her body. In his eyes she could see want, need, desire, hope and something she dared not name; but there was also a hint of sadness within them. Sorrow that she knew could be seen in her eyes also.

Lifting her head off his chest, she shifted herself so that she could lean on her elbow. They stared at each other in silence as if communicating through their eyes. There was so much that needed to be said but neither could speak the words. So they told each other with their eyes what their voices would not.

Xena slightly pulled away from Ares. Tracing the outline of his jaw with her fingers, she whispered. "We'll have to head back soon."

Ares captured her hand in his and brought her fingers to his lips. "Why?" A devilish smile appeared on his face, as he pulled her closer to him.

She smiled against his tempting lips before turning away, knowing where it would lead to. "Because we can't stay here forever," She said trying to be the voice of reason.

"That might be true," His eyes never left hers. "But that doesn't mean we can't try." Ares began to kiss her shoulder gradually making his way to her neck. He knew she would have to leave soon but he wasn't ready to let her go, not when he knew how it felt to hold her in his arms.

"I'm serious." Xena replied but her body betrayed her and she soon found herself leaning into his touch.

A small moan of pleasure escaped from her mouth as Ares' lips continued to caress the sensitive spots on her neck. He nibbled on her ear until she turned back to him, then he captured her lips in a breath taking kiss. Xena's body yearned for his touch, but her brain screamed for her to regain her control.

She desperately broke away from his lips and placed a hand on his chest to stop him. "We can't stay here much longer," She said between breaths, and then she added in a whisper. "I can't stay here much longer."

"I know," He replied in a voice that was that of sorrow as he brushed a few strands of hair from her face.

And with that their piece of serenity was lost.

She sadly kissed his lips before slowly pulling herself from his arms. She then stood up and began searching for her scattered clothes, as he did the same. They dressed in relative silence, with both stealing glances at the other. Once they were done, they were on their way back to the old farm, back to reality.

They were almost there when Ares abruptly stopped. He had felt as panic took a hold of his heart, and began slowly squeezing the life out of it. Thoughts of losing her again flooded his mind and with each passing moment the pain only worsened.

Xena turned around to face him and could see the heartache in his features. He just looked at her as if he had lost the ability to speak. Slowly she walked back to him and raised a hand to touch his face. He closed his eyes for a moment trying to fight the burning pain in his heart.

"Don't go," He uttered in a low voice as he opened his eyes.

She bit back the tears that threatened to fall as she felt him gently pull her into his arms.

"I can't lose you again." His eyes were filled with such anguish that it tore her apart inside.

"You won't have to," She finally spoke.

"Swear?" He whispered against her lips.

"I do." She swore.

: I changed this thing like six or seven times and I finally settled on this one. Leave a review if you like it, that way I won't think that I've really gone crazy. :


	5. Chapter 5

"Swear?" He whispered against her lips.

"I do." She swore.

Their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss that seemed as if it would never end. Xena's hands tugged on Ares' arms pulling him closer to her, molding their bodies together as one. Moments later the kiss was broken as they slightly pulled apart. Their lips were only a breath away when Ares whispered to her.

"Careful warrior princess I think you're falling for me," A playful smirk danced across his face.

"I think I already have." She said against his lips then silenced him with a kiss before he could reply.

She pulled away from him, taking a hold of his hand as she did so. She had to give him a tug before he would move. As she grabbed Argo's reins with her other hand, she couldn't help but smile at the goofy grin on Ares' face, which could rival even Joxer's, well almost.

Minutes later they entered the old house. Her hand still held his as they walked through the doorway into the kitchen. Xena glanced around the room noticing how slightly different the place looked in the morning. She then turned back to Ares, who took the opportunity to pull her to him.

"What do you say we go freshen up?" He said with a devilish smirk.

"And where exactly would we freshen up?" She replied deciding to play along with his game.

"Follow me." His voice seductively low.

Ares led the way to a door in the far corner of the house. Slowly he opened it to reveal a small bathhouse type room. A large wooden tub sat in the middle, with its height coming to about their waist. On one side of it lied soaps and sponges and on the other were a few discarded rags. The tub its self was not extravagant at all, it was simple but seemed well made.

"You built this?" Shock was obvious in her voice as she walked into the room.

"Yeah, I needed something to do for the first couple of weeks to keep me from completely going insane."

"Well it looks pretty good," She said after a quick inspection with her eyes.

"So…about freshening up?" He came up behind her, his breath tickling her neck.

Xena let out a small chuckle before turning from his grasp. "You can go first, and I'll go second." She said as she was about to walk out of the room.

"Now where's the fun in that?" He quickly held onto her hips pulling her so that they were face to face. "You should know that I hate taking baths alone."

"You'll survive." She replied, but made no move to leave.

"Sure about that?" He leaned in closer to her.

"Yes" She murmured even as their lips met.

Her hands instinctively traveled up his muscular arms as he deepened the kiss. One by one their clothes fell before their bodies hit the cold water.

--------------------------------------------

----:I know I haven't updated in months, life's just been a little hectic. And everytime I sit down to write I just get writers block. I'll try to make my next update sooner than this one.:-----


	6. Chapter 6

--It seriously took me a year to update this thing. I'm a little shocked at that. But anyway I hope you like it.--

**One Night**

_Chapter 6_

Wearing only a thin cloth to cover her, Xena walked into the old room that was once hers and began digging through the aged rags of clothing she had discovered the last time she was here. She quickly found the same dress she had wore before and slipped it on. She ignored her inner thoughts, opting not to dwell on the reasons why she was changing into that dress instead of her armor.

Her stomach faintly grumbled reminding her that she was hungry.

A moment later Ares appeared in the doorway not bothering to hide his nakedness as he stood with his pants draped over one shoulder.

"Now that was a fun bath." He said with a smirk on his lips.

"Planning on staying like that all day?" She questioned as her eyes wandered.

"I just might."

He took a few steps into the room but before he could pull her to him, she swiftly moved out of his reach.

"Get dressed, and start a fire. I'll go catch something to eat." She said as she walked out of the room leaving a slightly confused former god of war behind her.

It wasn't long before Xena returned with her sword in one hand and a dead bird in the other. She found Ares fully dressed in his leather clothes waiting for her in the kitchen.

"What happened to the charming farmer outfit we left you?" She placed her sword on the table then started preparing the bird.

"While you were gone I went and buried it somewhere." He replied with a cocky smile that now seemed fixed on his face.

She wanted to roll her eyes at the oh so confident gleam in his eyes, but a small part of her was glad to see it. At least it was better than the despair she had seen on his face the day before.

"Well aren't you going to help?" She looked at him from across the table.

"Oh, I think you can handle it. After all you are a wo…"

She glared at him and dared him to finish his sentence. Ares immediately stopped talking.

"You were saying?" She raised an eye brow.

"Um… I'll finish taking the feathers off."

"That's what I thought you said." She replied as she placed the bird in front of him.

Later on when the bird was cooked and done, Xena got up to remove it from the fire. She then placed it on a plate before walking back to the table. Ares watched her as she did this, and couldn't stop himself from laughing over how domestic she seemed.

"What?" She asked as she sat down and started to split the bird into two shares.

"Nothing." He replied as he reached for his half then took a big bite out of it. He stopped mid chew once he felt his mouth burning, then instead of spitting it out he took a few deep breaths trying to cool the scorching piece of meat in his mouth.

"Too hot?" Xena tried in vein not to laugh at his expression.

Ares cleared his throat and took a few seconds to respond. "Just a little." He admitted as if he had not nearly seared all his taste buds.

"You burned your tongue, didn't you?" She questioned then slightly shook her head as she started eating her half.

"You could've warned me." He mumbled before taking a cautious bite out of his and trying to ignore her knowing glance.

It was already late morning by the time they finished their meal; and Xena was beginning to feel restless. She needed something to do; something that would keep her busy, something that would get her mind off this whole complicated mess she now found herself in. She glanced out one of the windows and got an idea. Now all she needed to do was talk Ares into it.

"Feel like doing something?" She asked as she stood up and walked around the table.

"Depends what it is."

She could hear desire creeping into his voice as she stood behind him with one hand on his shoulder.

"Oh trust me, it'll be fun." She replied with a mischievous smile as she grabbed something from behind her.

"Well in that case yeah." He turned towards her.

"Good." She said before handing him a hammer. "Let's go fix that porch."

"What? Come on Xena." He whined.

"I don't want to hear any complaining, you already agreed to it." She yanked him up from his seat.

"But, you lied, you said it would be fun."

"It will be."

Xena pushed him onto the porch and passed him some discarded nails she had seen earlier. Then she began to drown out the sound of his whining, knowing that if she glared at him long enough he would eventually shut up and start working. And she was right but it only lasted a few hours.

"I say we take a break." Ares said as he worked on the steps then stopped to wipe sweat from his brow.

"Fine." Xena replied taking a seat on the half finished porch. She had been waiting for him to ask for a break and was surprised that he hadn't asked earlier.

Ares climbed up the nearly repaired stairs and collapsed beside her.

"It's as hot as hades out here." He glanced at the vest he had discarded a while ago.

Xena passed him a wineskin filled with water. He took a few generous sips before passing it back to her.

"Why are we doing this unnecessary labor?" It occurred to him that she never gave him a reason why they were fixing the porch.

"Cause it's broken." Came her simple answer.

"I think you just like torturing me."

"Look on the bright side at least we're almost done." She said smiling.

Ares groaned in response and closed his eyes as if he was going to rest for a second, then suddenly opened them again.

"I was just wandering. What's my reward?" He asked as he looked into her eyes.

"Reward?" She pretended to be confused.

"What do I get for all my hard work?" He shifted closer to her.

"You mean other than a fixed porch?" Her heart beat sped up as he leaned in a little bit.

"Yeah, so what do I get?" His right hand made it's way up her arm, glided over her collarbone and up her neck to caress her cheek.

"What do you want?" She whispered as she leaned in, nearly closing the gap between them.

"You." He whispered back, then kissed her longingly making all her previous worries disappear.

She could feel him smiling against her lips as they pulled apart. Right now everything seemed so clear and simple that it scared her a little how he could make her feel that way. She stared into his eyes as she traced his lips with her finger tip. Just as she was about to say something, she heard the sound of a horse approaching in the distance.

"What's wrong?" Ares asked when he noticed her tense up.

"Someone's coming." She said in a hushed tone then moved out of his grasp.

She stoop up hoping to see the person before they saw them. Ares stood up too and it didn't take long before the person came into view.

"Gabrielle?"

**TBC**

--Please leave a review if you liked it.--


	7. Chapter 7

**One Night**

**Chapter 7**

Slowly Gabrielle made her way closer to the old farm, almost dreading what she might stumble upon. 'Maybe she's not there. Maybe she left.' The bard tried to convince herself, but deep down inside she knew the chances of that were slim.

Her fears were confirmed when she spotted Xena and Ares on the porch looking straight at her. She couldn't help but stare at the dress Xena had on, and wondered why in tartarus was she wearing that.

"I should have never let her come back here alone." She whispered underneath her breath as she watched Xena descend the steps.

With a slight pull of the reins Gabrielle brought the horse to a stop.

"Xena, I thought I might find you here." Gabrielle had on a smile as she spoke, but what she meant to say was, "I was afraid that I might find you here."

The bard then swiftly dismounted her horse.

"How was your visit with your sister?" The warrior princess asked as she tried in vein to ignore her friend's questioning look.

"It was fine, she's doing well." Came Gabrielle's short reply. "It's good to see you Ares." She glanced at him before turning back to Xena.

"Right back at you Blondie." He said with a hint of wryness in his voice.

"So I see you two have been busy…fixing the porch." The bard added in the last part as an after thought.

"Yeah, we just started." Xena replied.

An awkward silence soon surrounded them as tension slowly rose. Xena glanced back at Ares knowing that he would understand; but the last thing he wanted to do was leave her side.

"Um….I'm going to check on something inside." He said before reluctantly walking into the house.

Once the door was closed behind him Xena looked back at her best friend who was trying hard not to jump to conclusions.

"Xena, what's going on here?" Gabrielle said in what she hoped was a calm voice. "You said that you were just going to check up on him, and that it wouldn't take long."

The warrior princess released a frustrated sigh. She didn't feel like going through this right now; and she almost wished that the bard hadn't shown up at all. Now things no longer seemed so clear and simple.

"I know what I said…but I decided to stay a little longer. That's all,"

"But why?"

"Because I wasn't ready to leave…not just yet," She watched as Gabrielle's expression turned from confusion to slight annoyance as the words left her mouth.

"So what happens now? You're going to just stay here and….and play house with him?" There was a hint of bitterness in her voice as she spoke.

"Gabrielle, it's not like that."

"You sure, because that's what it seems like?" She tried to take a calming breath, knowing that yelling at each other would get them no where. "Xena, I'm just worried about you. This is Ares we're talking about."

"He's changed."

"How can you be so sure about that?"

"Because the old Ares would never have sacrificed everything he knew for us, in order to save our lives."

Gabrielle briefly glanced away as the truth became harder and harder to deny. Of course she knew he had changed but she hadn't been ready to admit it, not until now.

"It was for you," She suddenly whispered.

"What?"

"He did it all for you." Gabrielle said as if she had just come to that realization. "He loves you," She mumbled, finally saying out loud what both of them had known for quite some time. "And you love him too." She whispered and watched as a slightly surprised expression appeared on Xena's face. "I could tell by the way you talked about him. I guess it was really just a matter of time."

"I guess so." She agreed.

Slowly the tension around them finally began to dissipate. A moment later the door to the house suddenly opened.

"Blondie, you're still here?" Ares said as he stood in the doorway.

"If I didn't know better I would think that you were trying to get rid of me." She replied as she started to walk towards the stables with her horse.

"Wouldn't dream of it,"

Xena rolled her eyes at them as she gradually made her way up the steps. Ares waited for her to try to pass him before he moved to block her way. She raised an eye brow at him and didn't resist when he pulled her close to him and stole a quick kiss before letting her go.

Gabrielle chose that vary moment to glance back at them. "This is going to take some getting used to." She sighed.

**TBC**

--7-- Not too much Xena and Ares going on in this chapter, but I felt that I had to add Gabrielle in if I wanted to stay true to the show. Seeing as how Gabrielle seemed to always just show at times that were inconvenient to Ares. lol

Leave a review if you liked it. :) --7--


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ares was sitting in a chair beside the fireplace as Xena and Gabrielle sat at the kitchen table. He watched as they chatted amongst themselves, but didn't bother listening to what they were saying. He was too busy trying to will the bard to spontaneously disappear.

"Where's a damn flying creature when you need one." He mumbled under his breath, then started to chuckle at the thought of the bard being snatched from her seat and taken far, far away.

When he zoned back from his day dream he noticed that both women were looking at him strangely. He was just about to tell them what he had been thinking, but took one glance towards Xena and thought better of it. He quickly realized that neither of them would find it as funny as he did, so he merely shrugged off their curious looks.

Gabrielle turned back towards Xena, and wondered if the former war god had finally lost his mind, seeing as he was sitting in a corner laughing to himself.

"So anyway," The bard said, continuing their conversation. "What are we going to do now?" Gabrielle had been leading towards this question for the last half hour or so, slightly worried what her friend's answer would be.

Xena glanced at Ares and noticed that he had suddenly begun to pay attention to the conversation. Their eyes met and it seemed as if they were having a silent discussion between the two of them. A moment later Xena looked back at Gabrielle, who had been trying not to get annoyed from being left out of whatever it was that just happened.

"I was thinking that we could stay here for tonight then leave in the morning." She answered and waited for the next question she knew was coming.

"We? … As in…" The bard's voice trailed off.

"As in the three of us," She waited for her reaction.

"Oh…ok." Gabrielle nodded, not surprised at all by this. She realized the moment she saw Xena standing beside Ares in that dress, that something had changed between the two. And that this time they wouldn't be leaving him behind.

Ares was almost a little disappointed when the bard didn't freak out from hearing the news. He had been looking forward to some kind of fight or an argument at least. 'Must be losing my touch.' He thought to himself, from the fact that she didn't object to him going with them.

Xena watched Gabrielle suspiciously for a moment. There was something in the bard's answer that gave her the impression that Gabrielle was leaving something unsaid. Truthfully she had expected a little more reluctance from her friend about this.

"What?" Gabrielle questioned when she saw the look on the other woman's face.

"Nothing," Xena replied, but didn't bother to hide her skeptical expression.

That evening was filled with stolen glances, sighs of exasperation, annoyed glares, and moments of awkward silence. Xena had found herself between a rock and a hard place, well more like between an annoyed bard and an irritated former god. She almost breathed in a sigh of relief when the sun had finally set and the sky became covered in darkness.

"It's getting late; I think we should call it a night." She said out loud then tried to ignore the smirk that instantly appeared on Ares' face. "Alone." She directed towards him.

Both her and Gabrielle stood up and began to walk out of the kitchen. It took only a few seconds to decide who would take which of the three rooms. Xena uttered good night as she turned to make her way towards her room, while Gabrielle did the same.

Quietly Ares started to follow her, and took his time watching the movements she made as she walked. Xena paused at her doorway, knowing that he was behind her. She was fully intending to remind him that his room was the other way, when she felt him standing right behind her.

"You look like you could use some company." Ares leaned in just enough for her to feel his warm breath against her neck.

Xena briefly closed her eyes and tried to ignore the tingling sensation his breath was causing against her skin.

She opened her mouth to reply, but said nothing when she felt his hands move to rest on her waist. Slowly he pulled her closer, and she found herself leaning back into him.

Silently she wondered why it had suddenly become so hard to resist him. Then she felt his lips gently gliding cross her shoulder, and thought 'oh yeah, that's why.' A part of her mind began to tell her to pull away, but she could think of no reason why she should.

"I still never got that reward." He whispered into her ear as his hands caressed her sides.

"Well the wait is nearly half the fun." She slightly turned her head so that she could kiss his lips, but suddenly pulled away from him when she heard the sound of a door opening.

Xena watched as Gabrielle walked out into the hallway and glanced at Ares.

"Forgot something in the kitchen," The bard said as an explanation when two sets of eyes turned towards her.

"Yeah right," Ares muttered when she walked away.

Xena quickly regained her senses, feeling as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on her.

"Good night Ares," She quickly said before she could change her mind.

"No, wait…" His reply was cut off by her door closing in his face.

Gabrielle appeared a moment later and found Ares scowling at Xena's door.

"Something wrong?" Gabrielle asked, unable to wipe the knowing smile from her face.

Ares just glared at her in response as she then stepped inside her room.

"Damn her to Tartarus." Ares mumbled to himself as he tried to fight the urge to punch something.

It was times like this that he really missed being able to blow things up.

**TBC**

I have to admit that I felt a little sorry for Ares in this chapter, but a frustrated Ares is a bit amusing.

**Anyway, hoped you liked the 8th chapter. _Leave a review if you did. :)_**


	9. Chapter 9

Fyi: I'm now using Italics to symbolize inner thoughts.

**Chapter 9**

After quickly closing her door, Xena walked towards her bed hoping that she would be able to get a good nights rest. There was still undeniable tension between herself, Gabrielle, and Ares. And she wanted nothing more than to escape to some remote location and figure out what she should do next. A part of her wanted to simply fully give into her feelings for Ares and just follow her heart, but another part of her felt as if she would be betraying Gabrielle in some way.

Xena sat down on her bed and rubbed her temples, trying to stop the headache she could feel coming. She shifted and laid down, but found herself unable to fall asleep. Minutes just ticked by and all she could do was stare at the ceiling above her. She wasn't sure how long she spent just laying there before her eyes finally closed and she drifted off.

The sound of a large boom forced her to open her eyes, as Xena suddenly felt the ground shake beneath her. She quickly jumped from her bed and grabbed her sword before rushing out the room. She stepped into the hallway and called for Gabrielle and Ares but she heard no reply. She opened the door to Gabrielle's room and found it empty, she then turned and check Ares' room and found nothing but an unmade bed and his sword. Panic quickly consumed her as she continued to call out to them.

She ran to the front door of the house but could not open it; it was as if the door had been sealed shut. Xena glanced around the room trying to think of a way to get out. She went to one of the windows but there was a board of wood covering it. She threw her first against the board hoping to break it, but nothing happened. Something wasn't right. Suddenly her surroundings began to shift.

She had to stop herself from gasping as she opened her eyes and was greeted by darkness.

"Xena are you okay?" The sound of Gabrielle's voice startled her.

Xena turned towards the other woman, and just stared at her, momentarily unable to speak as she tried to figure out what was going on. "What are we doing here?" She asked.

"What do you mean? We're on our way to visit my sister in Potedia. Don't you remember?" A confused expression appeared on the bard's face.

"What?" Xena glanced around and realized that she was sitting up in her bedroll surrounded by forest trees. _No, this can't be right. _She thought to herself as a feeling of dread seized hold of her body.

"Is there something wrong?"

Xena paid no attention to the bard's question. "Where's Ares?"

"What are you talking about? Ares is back at the farm where we left him." Gabrielle looked slightly worried as she watched the other woman.

Xena looked away from Gabrielle and tried to hide the panic she felt inside. A million thoughts were racing through her mind, as she fought to make sense of what just happened.

"Xena?" Gabrielle gave her a questioning glance.

"…I'm fine, I just …need to clear my head." She quickly got up and walked away.

A cool breeze blew against her, but she barely noticed it as she walked farther and farther way from the campsite. Her head began throbbing, and the pain soon became too intense to ignore. She stopped and leaned against a tree, letting her forehead touch the rough surface of the bark.

"This can't be real." She said to herself. "I have to wake up." She suddenly moved away from the tree and punched it. Pain shot up from her hand as if to convince her that she was wrong. Angrily she punched the tree again and again, and did not stop until her hand felt like it was nearly broken.

Slowly she sat down on the cold ground, staring blindly into nothingness. It was as if she was trying to will herself to awake from what she prayed was a dream. She stayed completely still. _Wake up. Damn it, wake up._ She repeated over and over again in her mind.

Nearly half an hour had passed before she made any type of movement. She briefly closed her eyes as she lowered her head. "It couldn't have all been a dream." She whispered in a defeated tone.

**TBC**

A little confused? Me too. Lol. But I had to add a twist to the story.

Leave a review and tell me what you thought about it:)


	10. Chapter 10

Nearly half an hour had passed before she made any type of movement. She briefly closed her eyes as she lowered her head. "It couldn't have all been a dream." She whispered in a defeated tone.

**Chapter 10**

Finally she stood up and walked back to the campsite. There she found Gabrielle still awake waiting for her.

"Xena, is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I had a strange dream that's all."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it was nothing." Xena laid down in her bedroll, hoping that Gabrielle would just drop it.

The bard stared at her friend a moment longer before also laying back down and going to sleep. However for Xena sleep would not come quickly, instead thoughts of Ares plagued her mind. She tossed and turned as she fought with the images that appeared before her eyes. They seemed so real that her skin would have sworn it knew the way it felt to have the warmth of his body against hers. She slightly shivered at that thought. Whatever it was, it had been more than just a dream. And it had left her with a constant feeling of panic that was slowly creeping into her heart, while she struggled against the overpowering need to see him.

The logical part of her screamed for her to forget this stupid dream; but she could not and she knew what she had to do. _The dream must have meant something._ She thought to herself as she came to a decision.

Morning finally came as Xena and Gabrielle awoke. They packed up their things in complete silence. Gabrielle watched Xena in the corner of her eyes, and looked as if she wanted to say something but instead she stayed quiet. A few minutes later they were done. Gabrielle climbed on top of her horse and waited for Xena to do the same, but she didn't move from where she was standing.

"I can't come with you." Xena abruptly said, breaking the silence.

"What? Why?" A look of concern covered the bard's face.

"There's something I need to do first. I'll meet you in Potedia in a few days."

"Wait, what is it that you're going to do?"

Xena hesitated before answering. "I'm going to visit Ares."

"Why?" Gabrielle seemed genuinely surprised. "…Is this about that dream last night?"

"Yes and No," there was a slight hint of frustration in her tone.

"Xena if something's bothering you then--"

"I don't want to talk about it. Look I just need a few days that's all."

"Okay, fine. I guess I'll see you later on." A hint of uncertainty could be heard in Gabrielle's voice, as she then gently kicked her horse urging it to begin walking. "I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for." She said softly.

"Me too," Xena whispered back.

She waited until she could no longer see Gabrielle before climbing on top of Argo. She pulled on the reins urging Argo to turn around, and began making her journey to the old farm.

The afternoon and evening had come and gone by the time Xena decided to stop and rest at a small village. She went and placed Argo in one of the stables, then turned to leave. The drunken laughter of two young men filled her ears as they stumbled into the stable area. Xena tried to ignore them but couldn't help but over hear a part of their conversation.

"The day that a thug like Argrilius becomes a great warlord is the day tartarus freezes over." The taller of the two said with laughter still in his voice.

"Argrilius may be a thug but he's smart, smart enough to realize where Ares is hiding."

"And where's that?"

"In the village just a short distance away. I'm telling you that Argrilius is right now on his way to kill the former god of war."

The taller man opened his mouth to reply but he never got the chance. In less than a second Xena was standing over the other man with her hand at his throat and her sword drawn.

"What did you just say?" She questioned him.

"Hey, what are you doing?" The taller man yelled.

Xena didn't even bother to glance his way as she swiftly kicked him in the chest knocking him down.

"Who is Argrilius and what makes him think that Ares is in the next village?" She asked.

The man in her grasp struggled to breathe was her grip tightened.

"Argrilius is the leader of a group of local bandits." He said with his eyes practically bulging out. "He…he claims he saw Ares with his own eyes…and now he's going to kill him."

Xena abruptly let go of him and quickly made her way back to Argo. A feeling of panic rapidly consumed her as she and Argo raced to the old farm. She couldn't explaining what she was feeling, all she knew was that she couldn't lose him not now, not when she finally knew what she wanted. Her surroundings became nothing but a blur as the hours swiftly passed by. It was the dead of night by the time she reached her destination. Everything looked the same as when she had first left, but she paid no mind to this as she jumped off of Argo and ran into the house.

"Ares!" She called out as she began searching for him, but he was no where to be found. Angrily she kicked the door as she walked out of the house. _Where in tartarus could he be? _She thought to herself.

"The village," She whispered and rushed back to Argo.

It took only a few minutes for her to reach the nearby village. Cautiously she looked around at her surroundings as she got off of Argo. Most of the villagers were asleep in their homes, while the rest of them were scattered around the tavern. A few curious eyes turned her way; and those who were too drunk to see the glare in her eyes tried in vain to get her attention. But she ignored them and took notice of the young man who had been standing at the entrance of the tavern, and had abruptly left when he saw her. She could have sworn she saw a look of recognition in his eyes.

Something was about to happen, she could feel it in the air. She knew she had to get Ares out of here fast. She easily spotted him when she entered the tavern. He was sitting alone at a table in the corner of the nearly empty room. His shoulders were hunched as he stared down at the mug of ale in his hands. She walked over to him and felt her earlier feelings of panic vanish. When she was close enough, she called out to him.

"Xena?" He looked at her as if she were a ghost, and for a moment there he thought his drunken eyes were playing tricks on him.

"Yeah, it's me." She couldn't stop the relieved smile from appearing on her face. She took a few steps closer to him until they were barely an arms length apart.

"What are you doing here?" There was a surprising amount of anger in his voice.

Xena paused for a second before answering, her smile quickly disappeared. "There's a group of bandits after you, and I think they're already in the village."

"So let me guess, you're here to save me, right?" A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "Well warrior princess I don't need your help. So you can leave now."

Xena didn't bother to reply. She was slightly stunned by the anger and hatred she could feel coming from him. _This is not how it's suppose to happen. _She thought to herself.

"What are you waiting for?"

"I'm not leaving?" Her face was completely expressionless.

"Yeah you are. Right after you're done saving the day you'll leave just like you always do."

Xena's facial expression softened as she struggled to find the right words to say. "Ares,"

"Don't bother." He snapped at her as he slowly stood up, slightly swaying from side to side. "Just seeing you here makes me want to smile and cry out in pain at the same time." His voice suddenly became low. "I can't do this anymore." He whispered and for a moment he seemed completely sober. "I can't love someone who refuses to love me back." He moved to walk pass her, but she gently grabbed his arm stopping him.

"Things just aren't that simple." Her eyes seemed as if they were pleading with him.

"Yes they are. It's either you do or you don't."

"Ares you know that I…" She paused, unsure of what to say.

"You can't even say it, can you?" He pulled away from her and walked out of the tavern.

Xena stood there and watched him leave. She hesitated for only a moment before going after him; but a moment was all it took for everything to go wrong. A strange darkness had completely surrounded the village and even the light of the moon and stars could not lessen it. Xena stepped out of the tavern and immediately knew that something wasn't right.

All of a sudden a voice yelled. "Long live the god of war."

Xena quickly ran towards the direction of the voice and found Ares surrounded by a dozen armed men. Instinctively she tried to reach for her chakram but she could not move. It felt as if she was frozen in time, as if an invisible force was holding her back.

_No, no this can't be happening. Damn it do something_! Her mind shouted. She tried to scream, tried to yell, but all she could do was stand there and watch as a sword appeared and slowly plunged into Ares' chest.

"Nooooooo!" A pained scream filled the air; and it took Xena a second to realize that it had come from her.

The men turned towards Xena as if they had not noticed her before. Time seemingly released its hold on her as a blinding rage rapidly consumed her senses. In less than an instant her chakram was sent flying through the air, killing any thing in its path. With an almost animal like fury Xena attacked the few men who were left standing. One by one they fell until there were none left.

Her rage was promptly replaced by agony when she saw Ares lying on the blood soaked ground. She immediately dropped her sword and kneeled down beside him. He was struggling to breathe as blood continued to flow out of him.

"Ares stay still, don't move." She said as she tried to put pressure on the wound.

"It hurts." He coughed as more blood appeared.

"Everything is going to be all right. Just hang on." Her voice soon became thick with emotion. "Ares no, don't do this." She said as if he could stop himself from dying.

His voice was quickly becoming weak. "Good bye … princess." He somehow managed to lift one of his hands to caress her face.

"Don't you leave me," she whispered.

"I love you." He said with his last breath.

Xena helplessly watched as the life vanished from his eyes. A second later she lightly kissed his lips. "I love you too." She whispered as tears began to fall from her eyes.

She held onto him tightly as if her warmth could bring him back.

"Xena," she heard a voice calling out to her, but she ignored it. "Xena!" The voice said more insistently as someone began shaking her.

"Leave me alone. Get away from me." She yelled back, but the voice did not stop.

Suddenly Xena felt herself being pulled from Ares' body as darkness filled her vision.

**TBC**

I know you're probably thinking wtf (what the f-#-), but the next chapter (which might be the last one) will shed some light on everything that happened. I hope. ;)

Leave a review and let me know your thoughts :)


	11. Chapter 11

"Xena," she heard a voice calling out to her, but she ignored it

"Xena," she heard a voice calling out to her, but she ignored it. "Xena!" The voice said more insistently as someone began shaking her.

"Leave me alone. Get away from me." She yelled back, but the voice did not stop.

Suddenly Xena felt herself being pulled from Ares' body as darkness filled her vision.

**Chapter 11**

Xena fought with a strange feeling of drowsiness as the darkness began to vanish. The voice returned and called out to her once again and this time she was able to recognize who it was. "Gabrielle?" Xena mumbled as she gradually opened her eyes and found herself back at the old farm.

"Yeah, it's me." Gabrielle's face slowly came into focus. "Are you all right? It sounded like you were having a nightmare." There was obvious concern in her voice.

It took Xena a long moment to respond. She almost looked as if she was trying to remember where she was. She sat up and took a deep breath before speaking. "I couldn't wake up." She whispered. A slightly haunted look briefly filled her eyes.

"What was the dream about?"

Xena glanced towards the bard as if she had forgotten she was there. "I don't remember." She said, looking away.

The look on Gabrielle's face clearly showed that she didn't believe her. "Well, then do you want some water, or anything?"

"No…I just … I'm fine, really."

Gabrielle simply nodded in response then hesitantly began to move towards the door. She was almost afraid to leave her alone, but she knew that she could not force Xena to tell her what was wrong. "Good night." Gabrielle said before walking out and closing the door.

Xena released a heavy sigh as she laid back down. She could still feel her heart racing in her chest, and she momentarily felt as if she couldn't breathe. _It was all just a dream._ She thought to herself, but still could not shake the lingering feeling of dread that had crept into her body. "It was just a damn dream." She said out loud, but every time she closed her eyes the images from her nightmare came rushing back.

She groaned in frustration as she pushed the covers off of her and sat on the edge of the bed. "He's fine, it wasn't real." She said trying to convince herself, but the dream had left her feeling raw. And even though she knew he wasn't hurt it still did not make her feel any better. She had to make sure, had to see him with her own eyes.

Before she could change her mind, she stood up and walked out of her room. When she finally got to his door she hesitated for only a second before quietly opening it. With the help of the moon she was able to see the outline of his body. He was lying on his side facing the door, with a cover draped loosely around his waist. She knew that she could turn around and leave right now and he would never know she was there, but something inside of her refused to let her do so. Instead she stepped inside the room, walked towards the bed then laid down beside him.

Ares shifted in his sleep as he gradually awoke. A smirk instantly appeared on his face when he realized something was leaning against him. "I knew you couldn't resist me." He said as he moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. Almost immediately he realized that something wasn't right. He could feel her slightly shaking. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Xena, what's wrong?" His voice was filled with concern and panic.

A sad smile appeared on her face. "Nothing," she replied and silenced him with a gentle kiss. She closed her eyes as her feelings of fear and dread completely vanished. She should have been unnerved that he could affect her in such a way, but instead she felt only content.

Ares knew that there was something obviously bothering her, but he had no idea what to say to take away her pain. So he did the only thing he could; he wrapped his other arm around her and held her tightly against his body. He softly kissed her forehead and silently prayed that it would ease her worries. And right before he drifted off to sleep he heard her whisper.

"I love you."

**THE END**

I hope it didn't get too confusing in the dream sequence. I wanted Xena to be stuck in a dream that felt so real that even the reader couldn't tell the difference. And I wanted to end the story on the central theme of the title, that one night could change everything. I might do an epilog, but I'm not sure yet. I hope you enjoyed the story. And thank you to everyone who left reviews, I really do appreciate them. :)

_**Let me know what you thought about the ending:)**_


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